Synchronizing system



May 20, 1952 F. w. MILLsPAuGl-l ETAL SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 30, 1949 n M H 5 M l. n um m .S .S bh# o NM1 n NQ mx. n 5S? r f A Qmw wxa ...vl .mw mf MSS S .wr EN. Mw a nn .Cy v

Patented May 20, 1952 N.. Kozanowski, Audubon, N. 1., assignorsto It/ad-io- Corporation of America, acorporation of Delaware Applicationmeember so, 1949. Seriana-135,998

,1.05 claims. (C1. 17aeasy l Thel present invention relates to synchronizing systems for electrical` signal. generators and' .more

particularly, although not necessarily exclusivelyto=,synchronizing lock-.in methods andvapparatusV fon remote andL local television transmitting sta tions.

In more` particularity, the present invention deals with an improved 'synchronizing lock-in ar rangement for synchronouslyrelating the. operationoff remote andlocal sync generators inmodern daytelevision transmitting apparatus.

in still another aspect, the `present' invention.

relates toa synchronizing lockein arrangement for atelevision transmission system inwhich"y it'v is desirableffto interchangeably Vtransmitf'eithena remotely generated television signal" or a locally generated televisionsignal in such a--manner asl toeliminate evidence lof discontinuity in the-signalI` transmission during ytheY transition from i the I remote-to thelocalfsignal source.-

In television practice; television transmitting" stations transmit f acomposite television signal whichlmainly-comprises a video` component, a.

synchronizing componentv and ablank-ing component. Generally, the synchronizing and-blank-v ing component are generatedby a'sync'signal generating system preierablyflocatedf at a position nearthe point'ciimagepick up; A version of the-synchronizing and blanking v informationv is ofcoursev supplied tothe image -pick` up equip ment for synchronization of itsscanning actionf The'syn in the production ofthe videosignal. chronizing and# blanking information is" then mixed with the resulting image video signal to produce` the composite signal for modulationV off the television radiotr-ansmitter.`

The sync si-gnalg-eneratorior generating; the

synchronizing andfblanking informationi's-usually` controlled v'by ai masteryoscillator operating g at' a multiple ofthe image line'frequency. In orderA toavoidl drift in theoperating'v frequency Aof Vthe master oscillator and-consequent irregularities inthercproduced televisionimage, the master-'os'- cil1atoriscommonly linked to some standardffjre`. quency sourceywhich. for example, maybe the 60 -Y cycieofithe local Ypunie-Yutilities power` distributionH system. A very convenient wayfoi accomplishingthis linkage is by means of comparing the eld frequency rate of the field synchronizing pulse developed by the sync signal generator-'with the-frequency of'the local powery linev and cor recting thewirequencyof the-master oscillator-in accordancelwith thefdegreel o1.difference'-detected bythis frequency comparison. Under: properop-aerating conditions thisensuresthatthe transmit tedlverticalusynchronizing signals` are always in synchronism. with the 60.- cycle supply main. Such. apparatus` is:4 well-known in the art and one form widelyzusedis described in detailin a paper by Smith and.. Bedford; which appeared in the RCAReview for July 1940, vol, 5, No.` 1 pages 511:?68, A precision television. synchronizingsigf nal generator.

Such a systemis usually vemployed. where only` one sync. signaltransrnitting chain isused or Where program material originates only from.

scanning equipment. operated bythe local'` synchronizing signal generator. Wl1en,.however,` it is desired'.toztransmitzorzretransmit program material. originating: from: azremote location, itbecomestdesirablefto1 supply somezmeans: vfor lock. ing in the local. sync' generator'wth vthe remotely generated ltelevisionfsignal. This lock-#in'feature isfgenerally:necessary-because `the remote pick-up equipmentinay be operatedy on' an entirely different public utilities power supply system and hence be^controlled in frequency and phaseby a slightly `differen1:.-.po'wer line frequency from that.

ofthe mains'tudios. If no lock-in fcature is provided, switching from locally generated program material to ,remotely-generated program material would result in a-disturbance inthe reproduced television image at television receiving locations.

due to discontinuity in synchronizing information i appliedl to rthe 4television receiver beam defiection system.

Moreover.; in the transmission ofspecial` effects suchas lap dissolve, video "'wipes, or composite pictures by thesuperimposition of the remote and locally generated television'signal, it is necessary to maintain precise synchronism--and' accurate phasingI between the two signals undergoing the SpecialeiEectsprOceSS. For example; it is Well known that failureY to maintain proper lock-in between two superimposed television signals will create-theefect of one picturedrifting past the other. Correspondingly, improper synchronization in thecaseof the lap dissolve Wouldproduce a disagreeable displacement betweenthe pictures being dissolved.

A varietyot circuits have vbeen proposed in the art for-accomplishing the `necessary lock-'inbetween remote television signals andf-lecal sync generatorI operation. With theV exceptionl of 1 wholly automaticy type systemsxv it is generally necessary to visually com-pare by'means of an oscillographie record or other suitable visualindicaters, the actual timing relationship existing betweenv theremotely generated" synchronizing 'signal'V and the locally generated synchronizing signal. Once this relationship has been determined some means are then brought into action for interrupting the timing or operation of the local sync generator, as a whole, while the remote composite synchronizing signal and the local composite synchronizing signal exactly coincide. At the instant of coincidence the local sync generator is then firmly synchronized by the application of a remotely generated sync signal from the remote composite synchronizing signal.

In such prior art arrangements it can be seen that the operator in control of the lock-in procedure is required to be particularly alert in determining the exact instant of coincidence between remote and local sync. Particularly is this so in the case of present day interlaced television scansion. Here an additional phasing problem arises by merit of the fact that the composite television signal comprises alternate even and odd field representations. For example, in the standard 525 lined interlaced television system having a frame repetition rate of frames per second each one of the two fields comprising a frame is displaced from its corresponding field by one-half a line interval. Consequently, in an interlaced television signal successive groups of line sync pulses embraced by the field blanking intervals are not symmetrical with respect to these field blanking intervals. Hence it is necessary for the operator to execute synchronized coincidence of .both the remote and local horizontal sync pulses as well as the remote and local even and odd fields.

The present invention is involved with an irnproved arrangement for executing the required synchronization between the local television sync generator with incoming remote synchronizing signal information such as to minimize the degree of attention and skill required by the operator manually controlling the synchronization procedure.

It is therefore a major object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for synchronizing electronic signal generating circuits.

Another objectof the present invention is to provide a new and useful method and apparatus for synchronizing present day television type sync generators.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved synchronizing method and apparatus which permits the selection for transmission of one or more individually timed and generated video signals without producing drop outs or tearing of reproduced images based on the transmitted signals.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for cosynchronizing a plurality of separately timed television signal sync generators in conjunction with special efects apparatus so as to improve the reproduced relationship between different image components of composite special effect scenes represented by the television signal.

In the synchronization of local sync generator operation by remote synchronizing signals, the present invention acts to first synchronize the local sync generator master oscillator operation with incoming horizontal sync signal with no regard to the relative overall phasing of the local and remote synchronizing signal composite wave forms. Means are then provided for interrupting the-usual fixed timing and phase relationship between local master oscillator operation and the locally formed vertical sync so that local vertical sync is effectively made to slip or shift with respect to local horizontal sync. This shifting or slip is continued until the local vertical sync pulses coincide with remote vertical sync pulses. Under these conditions local even interlaced elds will be in exact respective coincidence with remote even interlaced elds and the desired lockin between the stations is achieved. This lock-in of course remains in the discontinuance of the application of remote horizontal sync to the local master oscillator.

In the application of the present invention to conventional local sync generators, employing a master oscillator whose output is coupled to horizontal and vertical sync shaping networks through regular frequency divider networks, having appropriate numerical values of count-down or dividing action, slippage or shift between the local vertical sync and the horizontal sync pulses may be accomplished in a variety of ways. For instance in one exemplary form of the present invention a phase shifting network may be applied between the output oi the vertical frequency divider and the input of the vertical sync shaping network. Whereas, in another exemplary mode of the invention, an electronic switch or variable conductance channel is interposed between the output of the master oscillator and the input of the vertical frequency divider. In the latter exemplary mode, the variable conductance channel may be made to intermittently and selectively interrupt the communication of the master oscillator output to the input of the variable frequency divider to effectively alter the numerical value of the count-down circuit and cause a net timing shift of the resulting vertical sync pulse relative to the local horizontal sync pulses.

A more complete understanding of the operation of the present invention as well as numerous other objects and features of advantage in addition to those set forth hereinabove will be gleaned from a perusal of the following description, especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which the present invention is show embodied in a conventional form of television sync generating circuits.

In the drawing there is illustrated in dotted line area I0 an exemplary form of a master oscillator circuit conventionally found in sync generator circuits. By way of example, the frequency of the oscillator has been indicated 31,500 cycles per second which is in accordance with present day television standards of a 525 linesv picture scanned in two interlaced fields of 262% lines each. In accordance with conventional sync generator arrangements, the master oscillator I0 is applied to a horizontal frequency divider I2 which operates to divide in half the master oscillator frequency of 31,500 C. P. S. so as to provide at the input of the horizontal sync generator I4 control pulses having the required repetition rate of 15,750 C. P. S. These 15,750 C. P. S. control pulses are also applied to the equalizing pulse generator I8 and horizontal driving generator I9. As is well known, the output of the generators I4, I6,` I8, and I9 are, as indicated, directed to combining and processing circuits for subsequent modulation of the local television radio transmitter.

The output o-f the master oscillator I0 is further applied to the input of the first 4vertical frequency divider which is shown as being of the storage threshold-multivibrator type comprising discharge tubes 20, 22, 24, 25, and 28. first frequency divider is by way of example, as-

This i 5., s'gnedafnumericall divisorlor countfdown ofi 7 to. 1 andiis' followed' by. a. second. vertical .frequency divider f indicated'. by: block 301 which.. is i adapted. tolA execute..75to l; count-down. Thus` fromy the inputf. terminal 32 ot'fthe firstfrequencydivider totheloutputf-ter-minal 34. of the secondfrequency` divider-'there-isfexecutedl the required 5252 count-A down which yields 60. cycle. controll pulses r36v vat thefoutputterminal 34.' As inthe case of the hcrizontalf'frequency divideroutput thesecontrol. 19;

pulses-are appliedV to the.v input-of the vertical sync-pu1segeneratorfzA for control thereof. As will b'e-describedf. more, fully hereinafter in relation tcvthe'present invention thecouplin'g fromtheffoutput'of thefsecond-frequency-divider v3l] to 151:;

thefinputfof'thevertical sync Ageneratory 38 isaccomplisl'iedi"byh a'phase shifting network 40 whose output' is connected witha pulse-formingfnetwork 421 The' vertical blanking generator 44 is,l of

course," also=synchronized from theoutput` of the 2051 pulseff-form-ingI network 42. The outputs of the vertical sync generator-and the blanking generjatcr 38 and 44 are then, as indicated, applied tocombining circuits for subsequent modulation of the local televisionradio transmitter in thesame j...

manner -as thehorizontal-l sync, horizontal blaxikirig-fI and lequalizing pulses were handled.

There is ffurtherv-showntinthedrawing; means fore'controlling theifrequency oftheY local masterioscillatorffll Asillustrated,thismaytake the` a form'- loff.afconventional rea ctance f tub @circuit i 46'/- w-hosefoontrol'isignalflinput f at terminal 1 i8 maybe selectivelyu switched fon' conventional operation-` to either a: 60-2cyclepower line-frequency diseliminator.'atV Sill.v orfa' crystal! standard 31,500 35 CSP.. frequency discriminator at 52.. The come parativeiinputLto-the 60.'.cycle.requencyidiscrimn natr at'i 50.; of-.- course,1.ma.y befftaken from. the output'offtlie-vpuls'e forming network 42 v.ia.-cir.`V

powerrlincvoltage;V Accordingly,"comparativeina` puti toi thei orystal; standard. frequencyf dis'- crixniriatcrsf5'2.=1n'iayf.'befrobtained directly from :the output-i. of; therzlocali. master f oscillator. I 0` via;4 cir.

cuitupathiaiand the-.output of va standard31,500t

OLTRE S: .crystalatf :5k It .is .notedthat .the lfsw/itch connected to the..:inputt4. of thev reactance tube 46 is adapted for an idle or no-inputlposition.. which .p'o`sition1;..isi. illustrated; in. theV drawing.

' tics.: ofi. the'. individuali.. syncV generator: elements.

'I.his-.permits'.L the local. master:oscillatorfV ift to. 50

h'avfefully controlof: the sync.generatorv operation.. with.` no stabilization l either; 'fromvthe power. line. frequencys-oncrystal.standard.

.Iteiisfrin `.thislatten `position .off the-switch; con-n nected ith: terminal'. 481i of" ther. reactance-f tube? 55;;

thetflfloclnintof". the.=.local1 sync. generatorI may@ be. accomplished :with respect .to:.a".remote televisionsignal sucht as',l.for.' example, received by.. a radio. receiverf-62Z. It'fislto this latter lgeneraltyperof master'foscillatorrcontrol'.thatthelpresent invern.. 60;:

'Ilhelge-neralarrangement andtypeoi1 elementsthus-l=far show-n and describedinthezdrawingfas forming f the atmosphere of@ the'.A present-1 inven.`

ti0marerthought notE tov need-further description.A 65;.

duetto their-:Well known natures. Furthermore, im the; interests.` ofi" moreI clearly. and? distinctly.r pointing lfouti therpresent f invention which-will Cba' more-fully` described hereinafter; no connectionsi have.- been .s-hown' for. generating andi channeling the;videovfrequency.` components. of the.:television` signal .,sincesth'ese componentsrhave .nozrelati'on-tof tlietinterests of? the.- presenti invention.'v lvll'arefI complete-.syncigemrator:considerations dealing in morerdetaill with-the.. functions and.X characterise thus .farf treated; as welly as 1 the' complex nature` ointhef' synchronizing Wavef forms'tfproducedf by.4

sync? generatorsrof thistgeneral type; maybe had` through. .reference tiranv article-by J P.' SmithA andfAlda Y; Bedford, A lPrecision: Synchronizing Generatorn 'appearing inv the I RCA? Review. for Julys1940, vol; 5, No.1. This subjectmatteris further treated indetailinU. S. Patent-.2,132,655

to-J P. Smith .entitled System for: Producing.A

Electrical Impul'ses, issuedV October. 11,1938; U. SI patentto- A'. V. Bedford, 2,223,812, issued December 3; 1940,- entitled Television System furtherA describes the general requirements of.'`

synchronizingWave-formsfas applied to interlaced typeA television systems;

In accordancewith-th'e present invention the local-master oscilla-tor` I llis,` as` indicated above;

adapted forcontrol by the remote horizontalsyncU as'n received-*- and; deinodulated' icyl the'- radio This is accomplishedbyI separating; theremote horizontal,syncfromI the output of` radio4 receiver 62 inV a# conventional mannerf throughthe use ofa sync-clipper 66^anda syncY The horizontal Y' syncy thus derived receivery 62;

separatorjzis-applied-to a syncgate` circuit-*79" whoseh output is, Viahorizontal lock-in' control switchy 12 and circui-tepath `lll', appliedto the local master oscil-Y- By Wayfof example, the outputof the horizontal gate-cire' latorlill for synchronism thereof;

cuit' isindicated asbeing directly applied tofthe grid" 'I S l-of` the master oscillator discharge .'l 8:'

Thefunction of the sync gate-circuit is quite` conventional in nature, it" or its equivalent being required'v ton differentiatev between remote horizontal sync and remotefequalizing 4pulses therebyf to avoid,missynchronization ofw the localmaster" oscillator: lin-the arrangement'shown the block l0- isf merely 'ag threshold device which employs tlejoutput-of the local horizontal drive generator asakeying'pulse.l Thus the,I sync gate circuit Will pass-remote' horizontal sync 16a only when" frequency comparator circuit could be used, withV its output adapted to controlv the reactance tube 46.

Infurther accordance with the present invention, means are then provided for interrupting or temporarily altering the otherwise xed frequency relationship between the local vertical sync generated by the local sync generator 38 and the output of local master oscillator lil. Although this may be accomplished in a Variety of "ways, two particularlyconventional arrangements for this purpose are shown Vin the drawing.

One control mode may be termed a Slip control while the other form of control may be thought of as a shiftl control, the shift control generally' being used'as a Vernier adjustment for more precision lock-in alignment of the local vertical sync with the yremote vertical sync.

Assuming-now, for convenience in understanding :the operation of 'the presentl invention, thatr f the localf horizontal and-remotehorizontal isync..

In this'way the output local pulses have been established in synchronism with one another through local master oscillator control hereinbefore described, and that at the time the remote horizontal sync took over control of local master oscillator, the remote vertical sync was not in coincidence with the local vertical sync. It is then only necessary to withhold application of master oscillator signal from the first storage threshold multivibrator frequency divider for one or more measured intervals of time. This may be easily accomplished by biasing the cathode of the first frequency divider amplier highly positive. Thus the slip control may merely take the form of a switch 8U adapted to connect the cathode 82 of tube 2U to the positive terminal of a positive voltage source 84. This will reduce the amount of energy applied to the first frequency divider storage capacitor 86 which means that it will take a larger number of master oscillator signals to reach the firing threshold of the first frequency divider multivibrator control circuit 24, 26, 28. Reference to page 27 of the above cited vol. 5 of the RCA Review will then show that this reduction of energy applied to capacitor 8S will increase the dividing factor of the first frequency divider to some numerical value below 1 and hence destroy the fixed frequency relationship between the local horizontal sync and the local vertical sync. This will then, in effect, allow the local vertical sync to slip relative to the local horizontal sync, that is, slip with respect to timing or phase. This, of course, will also mean that the local vertical sync will shift with respect to the remote vertical sync. This shifting is then continued until coincidence between the local and remote vertical sync is obtained at which time the slip control switch 80 is allowed to remain in the open position to reestablish the nominal count-down of the iirst frequency divider to a numerical divisor of 7 to 1.

Numerous ways may be utilized to determine when coincidence by local vertical and remote vertical sync occurs, such as oscillographic records or visual inspection of superimposed local and remote television rasters. rhese techniques are well known in the art, one of which by way of example, is discussed in an article by R. A. Montfort and F. J. Somers entitled Measurement of sync and duration of television synchrcnize impulses appearing in the RCA Review, vol. 6, No. 3, pages S70-389 for January 1942. An even more detailed discussion of visual determination of remote and local synchronizing signal coincidences is found in an article by James R. De Baun entitled Interlock scanning for network television appearing in the December 1947 issue of the RCA Review.

An additional way of shifting the local vertical sync relative to the local horizontal sync, once partial horizontal lock-in of the remote horizontal generators has been established, is exemplarily indicated by elements 39. Here, in accordance with present invention, the output of the second frequency divider 3G is applied to a phase shifting network 4t which may take a variety of forms. As indicated the pulse 3B appearing at the output of the second frequency divider 39 is applied to a 60 cycle horizontal circuit comprising inductance 49a, capacitance 4Gb and resistance 40o. By varying the value of resistance Mic it is possible to cause a perceptible change in the relative phase of the sinusoidal wave applied to the pulse forming network 42 and hence the relative phase of the developed vertical sync pulse. The shift control de may be thought of 5 ffl as a Vernier type control in the application shown herein, however, if it is desired the phase shifting network 40 may be replaced by other forms of phase shifting networks having a larger phase shifting range. For example, a very satisfactory type of phase shifting network for this application may be based upon the pulse-sine wave converter described in the March 1949 issue of Electronics in an article by W. M. Cameron entitled lPulse sine wave converter. It is clear that if suiiicient phase shift range is provided, the slip control S0 may be omitted whereas if the sensitiveness of the slip control is made sumciently great, the shift control 49 may be eliminated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the applicant has provided a simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for establishing precision lock-in between the remote and local television transmitting station. The degree of operator skill required to effect lock-in between the stations is relatively low and the rapidity with which locked-in condition can be achieved is extremely high.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

l. In a television synchronizing system, a first and a second composite wave generator, each generator including a base oscillator from which is synchronously derived a high and low frequency component for each composite wave, said second composite wave low frequency component being related to its respective base oscillator by a frequency divider mechanism, having a predetermined value of divisor, means for deriving a timing signal from said second composite wave high frequency component, means for synchronizing said first base oscillator with said timing signal, means for intermittently and momentarily altering the divisor of said frequency divider mechanism, and means for manually actuating said divisor altering means such to effect momentary timing slippage of said second wave low frequency component relative to its base oscillator during the period of said synchronous control of its respective base oscillator whereby low frequency components of said first and second composite waves may be superimposed in time.

2. In a television synchronizing system having` a signal generator adapted to formulate the sync signal component of a composite television signal, said sync component comprising a horizontal sync portion and a vertical sync portion, the combination of, a master oscillator adapted to develop a master signal frequency which is substantially fixed in Value relative to the horizontal and vertical sync component frequencies, means for conditionally synchronizing said master oscillator from a source of control signal, a first frequency divider circuit having its input supplied with the output of said master oscillator, the dividing factor of said first divider circuit being such to provide at the output thereof the desired horizontal sync signal frequency, a second frequency divider circuit having its input supplied with the output of said master oscillator. the dividing factor of said second divider circuit being such to provide at the output thereof the desired vertical sync signal frequency, means for shaping the outputs of both said iirst and second divider circuits to respectively provide horizontal and vertical sync pulses, and means connected with said second divider circuit for interrupting the signal timing normally produced at the output of said second divider circuit 9 relative to said master oscillator output whereby they timing of developed vertical sync pulses may becontrolled relative to timing defined by said master oscillator ycontrol signal source.

A3.l In a television synchronizing system having va signaligenerator adapted to formulate the sync signal component of aicomposite television signal, said sync component comprising a hori- `zontal sync portion and -a vertical sync portion,

4the combination of,'a master oscillator adapted to develop a master signal frequency whichds substantially fixed in value relative to the horizontal and vertical sync component frequencies, means for conditionally synchronizing said master oscillator from a source of control signal, a

first frequency divider circuit having its input Y supplied with the output of said master oscillator, the dividing factor of said first `divider circuit being such to provide at the output thereof the desired horizontalsync signal fre-'' quency, a second frequency divider circuitvhaving its input supplied with the output of said master oscillator, the dividing factor 'of said seconddivider. circuit being such to provide at the output thereof the desired vertical sync. sig-' nal frequency, means for shaping` the outputs of both said first and second divider circuits to respectively provide horizontal and vertical sync pulses, and means for selectively disabling said Second flequency divider circuit for definable in-I tervals during synchronous control of said master oscillator by said source of control signals whereby the phase of developed vertical pulses may be Vcontrolled relative to timing defined by said master oscillator control signal source.

4. Apparatus according 'to claim v3 wherein said second frequency divider circuit is of the storage threshold-multivibrator variety comprisinginpart a threshold actuated multivibrator,

a` storage circuit applied across the input to said f4@ a signal generator adapted to formulate the sync signal component of a composite television signal, said sync component comprising a horizontal sync portion and a, vertical sync portion, the combination of, a master oscillator adapted to develop a master signal frequency which is substantially fixed in value relative to the horizontal and vertical sync component frequencies, means for conditionally synchronizing said master oscillator from a source of control signal, a first frequency divider circuit having its input s-upplied with the output of said master oscillator, the dividing factor of said first divider circuit being such to provide at the output thereof the desired horizontal sync signal frequency, a second frequency divider circuit having its input supplied with the output of said master oscillator, the dividing factor of said second divider circuit being such to provide at the out- `put thereof the desired vertical sync signal freand a controllable phase shifting network serially connected between the output of said second frequency divider and the input of said vertical sync .pulse shaping means whereby the timing of developed vertical sync pulses may be controlled relative to timing dened'by said master oscillator control signal source when said control signal source is placed'in the synchronous Ycontrol of said master-oscillator.

6. In a synchronizing system for effecting lock-in between a local and remote television sync generator both of substantially the same timing characteristic such as to eachproduce an odd and even frame composite sync signal including horizontal and vertical sync pulses and representing an interlaced scanning raster, the local sync generator having a master oscillator productive of a'base signal discretely related in frequency to both the desiredlocal horizontal and vertical-sync pulses, the combination of, means for receiving remote composite signal and separating therefrom horizontal and Vertical sync pulses, means for conditionally and synchronously controlling said local master' oscillator with separated remote horizontal sync pulses, a frequency dividing circuit insaid local sync generator, the input of said dividing network being supplied with signals derived from the output of saidV master oscillator while the .output of said dividing network is 'coupled to a local vvertical sync pulse shaping network, and means connected with said frequency dividing Vcircuit' for yinterrupting the signal 4tinling normally produced at the output'of said divider circuit relative to said Ymaster Voscillator output kwhereby the timing of developed vertical sync pulses may be controlled relative to the timing vof said remote horizontaland'vertical vsyncfsuch that local even iframes may be rendered coincident in timing with remote lev'enrfrar'nes.

7. In a 'synchronizing system for effecting lock-infbetween a local and remote television sync generator both of substantially the same timing characteristic such as toeachproduce an odd and even frame composite sync signal including horizontal and vertical pulses and representing an interlaced scanning raster, the local sync generator having a master oscillator productive of a base signal discretely related in frequency to both the desired local horizontal and vertical sync pulses, the combination of, means for receiving remote composite signal and separating therefrom horizontal and vertical sync pulses, means for conditionally and synchronously controlling said local master oscillator with separated remote horizontal sync pulses, a frequency dividing cicuit in said local sync generator, the input of said dividing network being supplied with signals derived from the output of said master oscillator while the output of said dividing, network is coupled to a loca'lvertical sync pulse shaping network, and means for selectively disabling said frequency divider circuit for controllable intervals during synchronous control of said master oscillator by said separated remote sync pulses whereby the local Vertical sync pulses may be shifted in phase relativeto remote vertical sync pulses to permit adjustable coincidence between local even frames with remote even frames.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said frequency divider circuit is of the storage threshold-multivibrator variety comprising in part a threshold actuated multivibrator, a storage circuit applied across the input to said multivibrator, a rectifying circuit having its ouput connected in storage relationship with said storage circuit with means for applying the ouput of said master oscillator to the input of said rectifying circuit and wherein said selective disabling means comprises means for interrupting the application of master oscillator output signal to the input of said rectifying means.

9. In a synchronizing system for effecting lock-in between a local and remote television sync generator bothV of substantially the same timing characteristic such as to each produce an odd and even frame composite sync signal including horizontal and vertical sync pulses and an interlaced scanningraster, the local sync generator having a master oscillator productive of a base signal discretely related in frequency to both the desired local horizontal and vertical sync pulses, the combination of, means for receiving remote composite signal and separating therefrom horizontal and vertical sync pulses, means for conditionally and synchronously controlling said local master oscillator with separated remote horizontal sync pulses, a local vertical sync pulse shaping network adapted to transform signal energy at vertical sync pulse rate to Wave energy having a desired vertical sync pulse contour, a frequency dividing circuit having a nominal dividing factor equal to the ratio between the local master oscillator frequency and the desired vertical sync pulse rate, connections applying the output of said dividing circuit to the input of said pulse shaping network, an electronic switch connected between the output of said master oscillator and the input of said frequency divider for conditionally interrupting application of the input signal to said frequency divider, and means for manually actuating said switch such as to effect slipping of the timing of said local vertical sync pulses relative to said remote vertical sync pulses.

10. In a synchronizing system for effecting lock-in between a local and remote television sync generator both of substantially the same 12 timing characteristic such as to each produce an odd and even frame composite sync signal including horizontal and vertical pulses and representing an interlaced scanning raster, the local sync generator having a master oscillator productive of a base signal discretely related in frequency to both the desired local horizontal and vertical sync pulses, the combination of, means for receiving remote composite signal and separating therefrom horizontal and vertical sync pulses, means for conditionally and` synchronously controlling said local master oscillator with separated remote horizontal sync pulses, a frequency dividing circuit in said local sync generator, the input of said dividing network being supplied with signals derived from the output of said master oscillator while the output of said dividing network is coupled to a local vertical sync pulse shaping network, and a controllable phase shifting network serially connected between the output of said frequency divider and the input of said vertical sync pulse shaping means whereby the timing of developed vertical sync pulses may be controlled relative to the timing established by said demodulated horizontal and vertical sync pulses.

FREDERICK W. MILLSPAUGH. HENRY N. KOZANOWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,132,655 Smith Oct. 11, 1938 2,223,821 Bedford Dec. 3, 1940 2,258,943 Bedford Oct. 14, 1941 2,278,788 Knick Apr. 7, 1942 2,329,339 DeBaun Sept. 14, 1943 2,350,536 Schlesinger June 6, 1944 

